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V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. N. GUNN. CARD BEGQR1) (No Model.)

No. 583,227. Patented May 25,1897.

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F \HHHHI! mmmmmu WNW WWW 61f j h uuuunuuum 2 -she t UNITED STATES PATENT Fries;

JAMES N. GUNN, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARD-RECORD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,227, dated May 25, 1897.

Application filed January 11,1896. Serial No. 575,113. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J AMES N. GUNN, of Medford, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Card-Records, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to what are commonly known as card-recordsthat is, records comprising a plurality of independent cards, arranged one behind another, and upon which are entered, respectively, such data or matter as it is desired to have systematically and conveniently recorded in condition for ready reference.

Prior to my invention it has been the custom to'arrange cards in large numbers in a suitable drawer or receptacle and to divide them into divisions, each division containing a different record or class of records, by inserting at desired intervals what are known as division-cards, usually higher than the record-cards, and which furnish a means of distinguishing the several divisions of cards and their recordsone from another for reference thereto. For many purposes, however, a subdivision or classification carried one or more steps beyond what is possible with. the usual division-cards is desirablesuch, for instance, as subdividing one or more times the cards referred to; but such further subdivision has heretofore been considered impracticable, because the usual division-cards, constituting the only heretoforerecognized means of grouping or subdividing a card-record, cannot be used to advantage, owing to the absence of any distinguishing feature or features over and above the record cards other than the one of their greater height. In other words, the usual divisioncards can be used to anyextent for any single kind of subdivision, but never for more than a single kind of subdivision in the same record.

My present invention has for its object the production of a means for subdividing the divisions above referred to into any desired number of subdivisions, readily and conveniently distinguishable one from another, and representing, it may be, as many different kinds of records in the same main record, and

at the same time also actually doing the recording itself by means of the cards, irrespective of any entries that maybe placed on or accompany them.

My invention consists in a plurality of cards arranged behind each other and provided at their corresponding cdges-for instance, along their topseach with one or more distinguishing portions, in the nature of projections,depressions, or other distinguishing features or contours, tho distinguishing portions of various cards containing as many different kinds of record being differently positioned upon the said cards, so that by viewing the record as awhole the different subdivisions or subrecords are at once distinguished and separable one from the other by following the differently-located distinguishing portions on the said cards.

The above, together with other features of my invention, will be hereinafter more fully described in the specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is an isometric view of a drawer containing record-cards, illustrating one embodiment of my invention and showing the same in practical use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the manner in which my record-cards are employed to indicate records in connection with usualindeX-cards. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the cards symmetrically arranged to record .simple data, the figure also showing the scheme of sequence or the various cards required to be kept in stock for record purposes according to my invention; and Fig. 4, a view showing several of the individualrecord-cards as somewhat separated to better illustrate the arrangement of the distinguishing portions for distinguishing the cards one from another.

In the embodiment of myinvention selected for illustration herein and shown in the drawings the drawer A may be a usual card-record drawer, such as commonly used at the present time, or in place thereof any suitable receptacle may be employed, if necessary, the drawer shown in Fig. 3 being provided with the usual lock-rod a, passed through holes a in the bottoms of the several cards to hold the said cards in position, removal of the rod enabling any individual card or cards to be re moved for change or for the entry thereupon of new matter.

The record proper is composed of the independent eards Z), preferably of the same general contour and size and arranged to contain the desired matter of record, of whatevernature it may be, my invention not being restricted to the entry of any particular matter or class of matter upon the respective cards, and, in fact, for some uses it is unnecessary to enter any matter upon the cards, the record being kept by the value represented by or designation of the cards themselves.

In the drawings I have shown several subdivisions beyond any that has heretofore been considered possible with the usual divisioncards, and while all the record-cards are denominated by the letter Z) the several subdivisions thereof will be distinguished by different indices, 1, 2, &c.

In the record shown by way of illustration I have arranged two usual division-cards c c, the tops of which, however, are made lower than usual to avoid concealing the cards back of the same, which form theprinci pal part of my invention. Between these division-cards c c I have arranged a division of record-cards Z), subdivided to distinguish, for example, residences of different parties. To accomplish this, the first and every eleventh card thereafter is provided near the extreme right edge with an upwardly-extended tab or distinguishing portion (1, upon which successively appear the figures 1, 2, 3, &c., indicating tens in the series. The intervenin g cards between an ytwo of these tens-cards, and ten in number, are each shown as provided also with a raised or distinguishing portion (1, but the distinguishing portion of each of these intervening cards, ten in number, is differently positioned from that of any other card, so that, viewing the series of tens-cards as shown in Fig. 3, the distinguishing portions (1' thereof will be viewed one beside another and in step form throughout the series of tens, and upon these distinguishing portions cl appear the figures 1, 2, 3, 850., indicating units, or the last figure of any numher the first figure of which is represented by the number upon the distinguishing portions (1 of the card at the beginning of the series of tens. I have herein shown only three of this series, but itis evident that I may employ ten or any other desired number necessary to cover the entire range of numbers upon any. particular street.

Knowing the street, the particular drawer will be referred to representing that street, and knowing the nu mberfor instance, 25 -the tens series indicated by the figure 2 on the distinguishing portion (Z will be selected, and the card distinguished by the figure 5 upon its distinguishing portion will be selected from that series as showing the last figure of the number 25, and referring to that card the name of the resident or any other data having reference to that particular street and number will be found.

The number may be readily selected, no matter 110w the cards are arranged. In Fig. 1 the cards are shown as arranged alphabetically, and in Fig. 3 solely according to the street-nu mberin g, so that in the former instance the resident may be selected by his name as well as by his number, or either number or name being known the other may be readily found from the record.

The ordinary guidecard, of which two only are herein shown, may be used to designate the name of the street. For instance, upon the first card is displayed the name School street, and the cards back of the same indicate that there are not exceeding thirty numbers or doors upon that street, and the guidecard immediately following shows the name of another street in which a street-record may be kept, as in the first, or 011 the said card may be displayed, as in the present instance, the words Policy-holders, indicating an entirely different record kept in the next division of cards.

Immediately back of the guide or division card 0, on which appears the words Policyholders, is arranged a series of cards marked b constituting a second division, each of which is provided, as in the first division, with a distinguishing portion 6, there being in the present instance ten positions crosswise of the cards-that is, the distinguishing portion of any one card may be placed in either one of these ten positions and thereby appear in a different longitudinal series. In a division of this kind the cards are preferably of different colors for readily averaging or dis tin guishing the ages of policy-holders in mutual benefitinsurance companies and thelike, so that the different groups of this second division may be found by glancing down a 1ongitudinal series, which thereby reveals one set of recorded data, an d likewise other data may be found by observing the cards of corresponding color scattered throughout the mass of cards of the division. For example, the card or cards indicated 6 may be green, the distinguishing portions indicated e may be white, the distinguishing portions 6 blue, c buff, e salmon color, and so on, various colors representing various limits of age or date of birth. Thus green may represent an age twenty to twenty-nine, inclusive, according as the green distinguishing portion is located on a card at its extreme left orone step therefrom, or two steps, three steps, &c., to the last step of the said ten positions; white, thirty to thirty-nine, inclusive; blue, forty to fortynine, inclusive, and so on throughout the series, the particular position of the distinguishing portion as removed from the left edge of the card indicating the particular year in that age-limit. For instance, a green distinguishing portion located at the extreme left edge of a card, as herein shown at c,wo.uld indicate an age of twenty, whereas a green distinguishing portion, if removed seven steps or positions from the edge, as at e would then indicate an IIO age of twenty-seven, a white distinguishing portion, as 82X, seven steps from the edge would indicate thirty-seven, and a buff distinguishing portion, as e, arranged four steps from the left edge would indicate an age of fifty-four. These cards are arranged alphabetically in Fig. 1, this being the more usual requirement, and are arranged otherwise in Fig. 3, as, for instance, in the order in which the policies were taken out. Thus by viewing the division of cards b and counting the number of green distinguishing portions in the first position the total number of policy-holders twenty years of age may be easily determined, and by counting the number of buff distinguishing portions in the fourth position the number of policy-holders fifty-four years of age may be determined. From these total numbers any averaging of ages or other statistics may be readily formulated. This arrangement of distinguishing portions of different colors and dilferent positions to indicate different ages does not in any wise interfere with the usual subdivision of a series into alphabetical or other order by the usual guide or division cards, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the last series of cards b constituting the third division, shown in the record illustrated in the drawings, the distin guishing portions f, arranged in different positions, as in the series 11 referred to, have displayed upon them, it may be, characters indicating the twelve months of the year, and upon these cards may be entered any suitable datafor instance, the. name or names of members whose membership in any organization expires on that month of any particular year-and the cards thus selected with the distinguishing portion in' position to indicate the month in which the membership expires may be subdivided by the usual division or guide cards, indicating an alphabetical arrangement of the names similarly as indicated in Fig. 2. These cards are arranged in Fig. 1 according to the rotation on committees, for instance, and in Fig. 3 according to the expiration of membership alone.

While I have thus far described the distinguishing portions as projections and as colors on the various cards, all the cards having the same distinguishishing portions, being referred to in the claims as a group, yet the distinguishing portions may equally well be depressions or otherwise- For instance, I have shown some of the cards in the record with their corners clipped at g, while others have not a corner so clipped, while in Fig. 4; the last card is shown as having a depression h removed from the end of the card, and by means of the depressions h or g, arranged in proper manner either with or without the projections referred to, the possibilities of the subdivision or subclassilication principle may be greatly extended.

From the foregoing brief explanation of a few of the uses to which my invention may be put the distinguishing features of the invention will be apparen tviz. the providing of the several cards of a series with distinguishing portions either in the nature of projections or depressions differentially positioned on corresponding edges of different cards 011 which are entered different records or classes of records the cards of the same groupt. e., cards making similar records,

having the same distinguishing portions, and

the different groups having different distinguishing portions, so that when the cards are arranged in their receptacle or complete record position the distinguishing portions of the cards of any one group or of those cards wherever located representing the same record or class of records will fall in the same line one behind, the other looking lengthwise of the series, and the distinguishing portions of cards of different groupsthat is, containing different recordswill fall in different lines, so that the number of longitudinal lines of distinguishing portions will represent as many different records or classes of records, and the number of distinguishing portions in each longitudinal line indicates the number of cards in that particular class of records.

My invention is capable of almost unlimited adaptation, and is therefore not limited to the particular uses shown, or in fact to any particular uses or records, and while I have herein described the same as used in connection with street and number subdivisions, &c., they may be used merely as a means of showing whether or not particular cards are in their proper positions-for example, the individual cards represented in the first division b of the drawings, Fig. 1, may be ledger-cards on which the accounts of various individuals may be kept-and because of the systematic distribution of the distinguishing portions of the various cards when arranged as in Fig. 3 a uniformity of appearance is presented to the eye, such that the removal or obliteration of any card or distinguishing portion thereof would be at once apparent to the eye and would in any event be readily detected by rapidly running down the lines of distinguishing portions of the several cards. By the word group I mean, in the claims, the cards all provided with the same distinguishing portions.

Having described myinvention, and without limiting the same to any particular use, or to the shape, construction, or color of the cards, or to the particular contour, location, or kind of distinguishing portions thereof, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A series of record-cards distinguished in groups by having distinguishing portions differently positioned on the cards of different groups, similar distinguishing portions being similarly positioned on all of the cards of the same group, combined with division orindex cards arranged at intervals therethrough, as desired, whereby corresponding records may be seen by observing the similar distinguishin g portions falling longitudinally in line one behind the other, in Whatever order, or how ever arranged, the cards may be, substantially as described.

2. In card-records, a stock of record-cards in a series of groups distinguished from each other by distinguishing portions differently positioned on the different groups, the distinguishing portions of all the cards of each group being similarly positioned, said recordcards being adapted to be used in connection with one or more indexes, a separate card being entered for each separate or new record, the different groups of records being readily recognized or selected by means of the location of their respective distinguishing portions, similar portions falling longitudinally in line, one behind another, substantially as described.

3. A plurality of groups of record-cards, all the cards of each group being provided with similar distinguishing portions similarly placed, and the different groups having different distinguishing portions, the various cards being adapted to stand one behind the other, and the record or records recorded by the respective groups being indicated by the diil'erent distinguishing portions, substantially as described.

4. A system of cards for organized records based on the characterization of the cards by contour and color, the subjects of the record being divided up in groups each of which is represented in the record by cards having a given contour, with one card for each subject of the group, the distinguishing portion of each card of a certain contour being in alinement with the distinguishing portions of the cards of like contour but out of alinement With the distinguishing portions of the cards of a different contour, the chromatic characterization of the cards being independent of their characterization by contour, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES N. GUNN.

\Vitn esses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, AUGUSTA E. DEAN. 

